Diary Dates

Curriculum Content

What did Ofsted say about our Curriculum?

Moor End Academy is outstanding. The very strong promotion of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development ensures that they thrive in the supportive and highly cohesive learning community. High aspirations, outstanding teaching and the rich curriculum result in outstanding achievement.

Key Findings, Full Ofsted Section 5 Inspection, 27th-28th June 2012

…The curriculum successfully meets the needs and interests of students and provides personalised programmes for those at risk of disengagement. It enables almost all to progress to education, training or employment at age 16. The curriculum has a distinctive emphasis on developing creativity and the use of thinking skills. For example, during the inspection there was a highly popular showing of films that students had made in their own time. The extensive enrichment programme allows many students to take on responsibilities and to broaden their experience. The daily two minutes of quiet reflection and many other well-planned curriculum opportunities enable students to frequently consider spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues.

Why is our Curriculum offer “Outstanding”?

Moor End Academy’s curriculum offer is broad and balanced combining a rigorous focus on key skills, along with an exciting range of activities, both within lessons and within enrichment. This broad and balanced curriculum satisfies both the requirements of legislation as well as offering students a wide range of high quality subjects and ultimately qualifications at the end of Year 11. Our curriculum is amended in order to respond to the needs of changing cohorts of students and to remain up to date.

As an Academy whilst we do not need to follow all aspects of the statutory National Curriculum our curriculum currently meets it’s requirements. Progression is a major facet of our curriculum offer. We aim to put the right building blocks in place for our students to be able to make smooth and rapid progress through transition points. We take seriously this responsibility to prepare our students to be successful and to take meaningful qualifications to prepare them for GCSEs in Year 11, post 16 study and beyond into a range of high quality careers and professions.

Assessment is planned carefully to provide students with the motivation to persist as learners. Good assessment and regular marking and feedback helps students to understand what their strengths are and what they need to improve further. Also, good assessment celebrates achievement and a growth mindset, encouraging students to challenge their own expectations and learning.

Excellent teaching in a broad and balanced curriculum, underpinned by an effective holistic approach to Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural development of our students, will help to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Core British values are promoted in a number of areas across the curriculum.The timetable is structured into a one week timetable with thirty lessons per week, six lessons a day. The majority of lessons are fifty minutes long.

“Outstanding” Curriculum Enrichment

In terms of our curriculum enrichment, our offer is clearly rich and stimulating. We are committed to providing our students with the holistic education they need to become confident, articulate, independent learners and thinkers who are ready to take their place in the demanding world of the 21st century. Through the provision of high quality learning opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom, we demonstrate our determination to create active, healthy, informed and responsible citizens of tomorrow.

We have a daily act of worship which is delivered through a twenty minute daily LINKs lesson where students are taught Citizenship and cross curricular themed topics by their form tutor. There is a weekly assembly delivered by the Head of Year, House Leader, a member of the leadership team, curriculum leader or an outside speaker.

An annual faculty audit is conducted to map provision of spiritual moral social and cultural (SMSC) aspects of learning across the Curriculum; faculty ‘enrichment plans’ are published, mapping extra-curricular opportunities and experiences for different students and groups, including those linked to transition, community and employer engagement and parental/stakeholder engagement – all of which form part of our SMSC coverage.

All subjects make a contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of young people. The LINKs Tutorial programme and STaRS programme deliver this explicitly; faculties have identified on the SMSC grid where the links are, and these are commented upon in planning and also in any lesson observations or Ward Rounds.

Key Stage 3 students learn about the six major world religions as part of the STaRS curriculum. These students have been given the opportunity to visit local places of worship.The extensive enrichment programme on offer allows many students to take on responsibilities and to broaden their experience. The daily minute of quiet reflection and many other well-planned curriculum opportunities enable students to frequently consider and reflect upon spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues.

Curriculum Model

The Key Stage 3 Curriculum (Years 7 & 8)

In English, Maths and Science students participate in five lessons per week. Incorporated into the Key Stage 3 English curriculum is a focus on Literacy, with a weekly library lesson with the aim of creating motivated, aspirant and fluent readers whose progress can be measured through the assessments in English. Within STARs (Sociology, Theology and Relationships) the Key Stage 3 curriculum covers Religious Education - as specified by the Moor End Academy Trust funding agreement. Health, Relationships and Sex Education is also covered within STARs which has an allocation of one period per week.

Computing, Geography, History, PE, Art, Design and Technology have two periods per week. Modern Foreign Languages has three lessons per week. Performing Arts (Drama and Music) have one lesson per week on a rotation.

From September 2016, Key Stage 3 includes just Years 7 and 8. The decision to reduce Key Stage 3 from three to two years is a deliberate decision by Academy leaders in order to give curriculum areas sufficient time to deliver the EBACC curriculum at Key Stage 4. To ensure that students are well prepared and that there is a smooth transition, the curriculum at Key Stage 3 includes a number of the subjects delivered through an EBACC curriculum. This ensures that whilst there remains breadth and variety students are prepared for and solid foundations are laid for the programmes of study ahead. The Key Stage 4 curriculum retains some breadth and balance through the options process which enables students to select an additional option where they do not study separate Sciences.

The Key Stage 4 Curriculum (Years 9, 10 & 11)

Our curriculum at Key Stage 4 offers what is known as the three elements. ‘Element 1’ which carries two qualifications; Maths and English. The vast majority of students study both English Language and Literature, if a student studies both then the highest mark counts in Element 1. Their second English qualification can then be carried over to Element three. ‘Element 2’ is EBACC where students study Trilogy (2) or Triple Sciences (3), History or Geography and a modern foreign language (French, German or Spanish dependent on the year group).

For Years 9, 10 and 11, in line with national expectations and accountability measures the Academy has restructured it’s curriculum so that the majority of students (working towards 85%) will follow a full EBACC curriculum. The remaining students (around 15%) will follow a curriculum which includes a number of EBACC subjects.

At Key Stage 4, students studying Trilogy Science have five periods of Science per week. Students studying the separate sciences (Triple Science) have eight periods of Science, shared between Biology, Chemistry and Physics over the course.

Finally, we offer ‘Element 3’ which is called the ‘open option’. In this group, students are able to choose from a range of GCSEs and a small number of BTECs. Element 3 can carry two other GCSE qualifications. Our students can choose from a wide range of high value subjects all of which count towards the performance tables for both the student and the Academy.Additionally, all students are offered Core RE as part of STaRS: Sociology, Theology and Relationship, Sexual-Health Education. This also incorporates Personal, Social Health and Citizenship and Work Related Education.

Pathways are structured so that the vast majority of students have the opportunity to achieve the EBACC where appropriate. Our curriculum is tailored to meet the specific needs of all of our Key Stage 4 students. The vast majority follow an EBACC curriculum and complete nine GCSEs.

The Academy is fully focused on improving the outcomes students with low prior attainment (Key Stage 2). A small number of our students do take a vocational subject (GCSE Photography) instead of a language but are still able to complete an curriculum with a similar number of academic subjects that support breadth and balance as well as the opportunity to achieve eight GCSEs which is an important benchmark to access post 16 study successfully.

At Key Stage 4 we offer option choices in full course GCSE PE, GCSE Dance and BTEC Sport. All students in Key Stage 4 receive two lessons per week of core Physical Education.

Careers Education, Information and Guidance (CEIAG)

All Moor End Academy students are involved in a range of opportunities which build to create a comprehensive programme of Careers Education, Information and Guidance. At Moor End we aim to enable students when they leave the Academy, fully able to access the post 16 course, apprenticeship or training placement of their choice.

The Academy works closely with a range of local educational providers and employers to provide students with clear pathways to further study, as well as educating our students about the range of employment and training opportunities available, both locally and nationally.

The Academy is committed to the provision of informed and impartial careers advice and guidance. On a practical basis, all students have access to individual, impartial advice and guidance from our dedicated Careers Adviser within the Academy. This complements a range of activities designed to promote self-awareness, employability skills and an understanding of employment opportunities and expectations at a local and national level.

Moor End staff work hard to ensure students leaving Year 11 have either a college place, an apprenticeship or a training placement. The Year 11 team work extensively during the summer holidays and into the new school year to ensure all students, including those who do not achieve the grade profile they were aiming for, successfully transition to the next phase of their education or training in line with their interests and aspirations.

Key Stage Four Curriculum overview table

The table below reflects the range of subjects offered in each year group within the three elements across the three-year groups within Key Stage 4.

Key Stage 4 Pathways Information 2017

The Pathways Booklet provides information about the courses and options available at Key Stage 4. It is designed to help parent/carers and students to make the right choices at an important time in their school career. Further information is available from curriculum leaders and members of the senior leadership team where required. It explains those courses that students will have to study (compulsory) as well as giving details of the subjects that they can choose from (optional).

Pathways Booklet 2017

Pathways Presentation 2017

Who to Contact for Further Information

The curriculum is vital to the progress and achievement of your son/daughter. If you wish to find out more about the curriculum at Moor End Academy please contact Mr Wilson (Vice Principal) on 01484 222230.